Contents
Safar 28/March 27 marks the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba (a). Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba (a), the elder grandson of Prophet Muhammad (s) and the son of Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a), was poisoned by his wife Ja‘dah. In this article on Islam4u, we will look at the circumstances of this noble personality’s martyrdom.
Who Was Imam Hassan (a)?
Imam Hassan (a) was the elder grandson of the Noble Prophet (s) and the elder son of Imam Ali (a) and Lady Fatima (a). He succeeded his father, Imam Ali (a) after he was martyred. Prophet Muhammad (s) had greatly praised Imam Hassan (a). The Prophet had said, “Hassan and Hussain are the masters of the youth of paradise.” His holiness had also said, “Hassan and Hussain are two Imams, whether they stand or sit.” Most scholars interpret this hadith by saying that the sitting Imam is Imam Hassan (a), who signed a peace treaty with Mu‘awiyah, and the standing Imam is Imam Hussain (a), who rose against the tyrant of his time to be martyred in Karbala on the day of Ashura.
The Lonely and Oppressed Imam
Imam Hassan (a) was oppressed by the people of his time. Mu‘awiyah waged a war against him, and Imam Hassan (a) stood against him. However, most of his companions left him alone. They were deceived by Mu‘awiyah, who bribed them to join his camp. He was mistreated to such an extent that even his so-called companions pulled the prayer mat on which he was praying, and he fell to the ground.
The Peace Treaty With Mu‘awiyah
When Imam Hassan (a) saw that he had very few followers, he signed a peace treaty with Mu’awiyah to safeguard Islam from the harm of this evil tyrant of his time. Of course, this peace treaty was to the advantage of Muslims and was not a compromise, as some think it was. If Imam Hassan (a) wanted to do the same thing as his younger brother did, it would be very unwise, as Mu‘awiyah was very cunning, and his method was markedly different from that of his son Yazid. Mu‘awiyah pretended to be a good Muslim, whereas Yazid openly broke Islamic laws and was intent on destroying Islam. If Imam Hassan (a) sacrificed himself and got killed by Mu‘awiyah, Islam would be no more.
Therefore, Imam Hassan (a) needed to sign a peace treaty with Mu‘awiyah. The treaty mentioned that Mu‘awiyah should not appoint anyone as his successor before his death. Nevertheless, Mu‘awiyah violated the peace treaty on many occasions and ultimately appointed his son Yazid as his successor to the caliphate.
Imam Hassan’s Innocence
Imam Hassan was poisoned more than once. One time, he visited the grave of his grandfather, Prophet Muhammad, and was cured. Imam Hassan (a) was a very generous and noble man. He would invite travelers and those in need to his house to eat with them. He would give away his wealth and possessions to those in need. It is said that he gave more than half of his wealth to charity twice in his life. Yet, people were very cruel to him. They were ungrateful of all the favors he did them.
Martyrdom of Imam Hassan (a)
Imam Hassan (a) was fasting. He was very thirsty after a hot day. He went home to break his fast. One of his wives, Ja‘dah, had been enticed by the women close to Mu‘awiyah that they would marry her to Yazid and give her all kinds of riches if she poisoned Imam Hassan (a).
Ja‘dah made a poisoned drink and gave it to Imam Hassan (a) to break his fast. After drinking the poisoned concoction, Imam Hassan (a) started feeling ill. The poison was so strong that it quickly damaged his liver. His siblings, Lady Zainab and Imam Hussain (a), quickly went by his side after hearing the news of his poisoning. While he was about to pass away, Lady Zainab and Imam Hussain (a) wept inconsolably. Imam Hassan (a) said to his younger brother, “You are weeping for me? O Abu Abdullah, no day shall be like your day [i.e. martyrdom].” Thus, he was martyred at the hands of the person closest to him.
The Funeral of Imam Hassan (a)
His funeral procession was held, and a large crowd attended it. At first, it was decided that he be buried next to his grandfather’s grave, the Prophet (s). However, some of his enemies did not like such a decision. Therefore, to stop such a thing from happening, someone among them ordered that his body be fired with arrows. Such a shameless act was performed on the body of one of the most beloved persons to the Prophet (s). After they did not allow the body to be buried in the mosque of the Prophet (s), they went and buried him in the Baqi‘ cemetery. Thus, he became the first Imam to be buried in Baqi‘. Imam Hussain (a) succeeded his brother as the third Imam of the Shia.
The Coinciding of the Prophet’s and Imam Hassan’s Martyrdom
Interestingly, the martyrdom of Imam Hassan (a) and Prophet Muhammad (s) is on the same day, Safar 28. Millions of Muslims around the world mourn the martyrdom of the Prophet (s) and Imam Hassan (a) on Safar 28, after mourning the martyrdom of Imam Hussain in Muharram and the first twenty days of Safar (see Arbaeen Walk).
Conclusion
Imam Hassan (a) is one of the noblest Imams of the Shia. He is known for his compassion, generosity, knowledge, wisdom, and innocence. He played a major role in safeguarding Islam from falling into oblivion thanks to his successful initiative of signing a peace treaty with Mu‘awiyah. He was martyred by poison at the hands of the closest person to him, his wife. Imam Hassan (a) will always be remembered. Shiites commemorate his martyrdom every year on Safar 28.
